If you weren't able to come to the March or hear her amazing speech we have it right here.

My Name is Gale Burstein. I am a scientist.

Why is science so important to us because knowledge and truth are liberating.

Why?

Because of science, we can literally reach out and touch the stars.

As a public health professional, science has empowered us to safely be protected against deadly infectious diseases with vaccines and not fear untrue complications like autism.

Science has empowered us to treat other infectious diseases with medications. My great uncle died of scarlet fever/ strep throat whereas I am sure most of you have been diagnosed with strep throat and bounced back to your usual routine within two days of starting antibiotics.

Science has empowered us to understand our climate changes and its causes and challenges and most importantly, how to fix it.

But we must always be on guard. Throughout history, science and truth has been challenged by bodies that want to gain power by instilling fear.

Examples include Galileo who was placed under house arrest and forced to renounce the concept of a heliocentric solar system.

In our county, the Scope Monkey trial accused John Thomas Scope of unlawfully teaching evolution in school.
Even today we are challenged with science being threatened by those in power.

The ability for a woman to choose to safely delay pregnancy until she is ready is being threatened.

Even in Amherst, the ability for doctors to offer safe medication assisted treatment, which the evidence-based, effective, treatment for our deadly opioid addiction epidemic, is under threat by the Amherst Town Board.
So now, we have congregated to scream to the world that science is truth, science is real, and science will stick.